MDC Chides Mugabe’s Spokesman

Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) is displeased with a statement suggesting that President Robert
Mugabe is "too busy" to resolve deep rifts within the unity government.

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President Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba told the
state run newspaper Sunday Mail that Mugabe is too busy with students and
soccer to address the crisis in the unity government.

The
comments follows Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's announcement Friday that
the MDC is withdrawing from the coalition government until several disputes
with ZANU-PF are resolved.

But Charamba said that a cabinet meeting scheduled
for Tuesday would go ahead as planned despite the MDC's threat.

MDC spokesman
Nelson Chamisa said that his party is disappointed in
Charamba's pronouncement.

"Clearly
they are busy with soccer. It explains why we are in this crisis, because there
seems to be a preoccupation with things that are not quite important and that
are not a priority," Chamisa said.

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He
said his party has deep concerns about the unity government.

"It's
clear that the current government is not working …Possibly, we have the wrong
men in office doing the wrong thing, and this is why when confronted with such
an important issue to deal with the outstanding issues pertaining to the Global
Political Agreement, they will give you the sort of responses that are not only
lost but also mischievous," he said.

Chamisa
dismissed what he said is ZANU-PF's lip service.

"That is obviously
propaganda, and you know that propaganda does not work on facts. It works on
fiction. It is clear that it is ZANU-PF that has reneged on the fundamental
outstanding issues around governance (and) around ambassadors," Chamisa said.

He said the ZANU-PF has not
shared the MDC's sincerity towards the unity government.

"There is a litany, a
catalogue of a manifestation of a deficit of sincerity on the part of the
ZANU-PF, and that is beyond contestation. We have given our best in terms of
sincerity in terms of commitment we want to make sure that the outstanding
issues are resolved," he said.

Chamisa said there is need
for international intervention over the ongoing disagreement in the unity
government.

"We want to make sure that
these issues are taken to SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the
AU (African Union) as the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement so that
they adjudicate on these outstanding issues," Chamisa said.

He said the MDC is not to
blame for internationally imposed sanctions.

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"Restricted measures were
never caused… by the MDC, and it was clearly as a matter of the rupture and
breakdown of relations between ZANU-PF and those who imposed the sanctions," he
said.

Chamisa said his party would
only help if the ZANU-PF shows commitment towards the unity government.

"We are able to help ZANU-PF
if ZANU-PF (is) willing to speak with one voice on matters of the rule of law
(and) on democratization. We need to make sure that we correct them within our
borders. Once we have done that, we will then be able to try and convince those
who imposed those restrictions," Chamisa said.

Meanwhile, U.S State
Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Friday that Washington understands
"the frustration" of Tsvangirai's MDC party, and calls on President
Mugabe to make the power-sharing agreement work.